Donna Lemaitre, BACP

Donna Lemaitre is an integrative counsellor with eight years of professional experience and is a registered member of the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy). She works in private practice at Betterhelp and holds a certificate in Online and Telephone Counselling, while also undertaking advanced training in Psychotherapeutic and Integrative Counselling to further refine her skills.

Donna has completed numerous continuing professional development courses in areas such as trauma, abuse, anxiety, bereavement, depression, self-acceptance and low self-esteem. Her background includes volunteer counselling roles with a mental health charity, supporting people with depression, anxiety, PTSD, stress and other life challenges, and three years as a Bereavement Support Volunteer at a hospice where she supported clients through grieving processes. She recognises that grief can follow many types of losses and life transitions, not only bereavement.

Her practice is primarily person-centred, reflecting a belief that the client is the expert in their own life. She offers a warm, empathetic and non-judgemental space where people can explore thoughts and feelings at their own pace. Donna also integrates psychodynamic and cognitive behavioural techniques and adopts a trauma-informed and culturally informed stance, tailoring interventions to each person’s unique needs. She aims to help people build self-awareness, increase confidence and find practical ways forward. If someone is considering therapy, Donna invites them to get in touch to discuss what has brought them and whether working together feels right.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Support

Donna works primarily from a client-centred perspective, which focuses on listening, empathy and supporting people to find their own solutions. This approach helps when someone needs space to explore feelings, build self-understanding and develop confidence at their own pace.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, is another tool she uses to identify unhelpful thought and behaviour patterns and to develop practical strategies for managing anxiety, low mood and stress. It is often useful for people seeking structured ways to change how they think and act.

Attachment-Based Therapy is also part of her practice and can help people understand how early relationships shape current patterns in intimacy, trust and communication. This approach is valuable for addressing relationship difficulties, abandonment concerns and attachment issues.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process and Donna works collaboratively with each person to determine what fits best given their needs, goals and preferences. She tailors methods and pace to suit the individual rather than applying a one-size-fits-all model.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can take place by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging - making it easier to access support around work, family or geographical constraints. For many people, these options increase consistency and make it simpler to continue therapy over time with registered professionals and therapists who adapt their work to the online format.